Oil well apparatus



Dec. 5, 1939'. J. D. PACE 2,182,545

' OIL WELL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1957 2/ 822587: ,vz'i 23/ 7 PatentedDec. 5, 1939 UNETED STATES PATENT caries 4 Claims.

This invention relates to oil well apparatus, the primary object of theinvention being to provide means whereby oil may be removed from oilwells, by forcing the oil to the discharge pipe of the well apparatus,thereby eliminating the usual oil pump commonly used in pumping oil fromoil wells.

An important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forremoving oil from oil wells, which will cause the oil in the well to beforced to the discharge end of the pump tubing eliminating the necessityof applying high pressure or powerful machinery, such as used inoperating the usual oil well pump.

Another object of the invention is to provide means which may beemployed in directing hot water to the oil screen, forming a part of theapparatus, dissolving or reducing the consistency of any foreign matterwhich may have collected on the screen, to the end that the screen andelements of the apparatus may be readily cleaned, during the removal ofthe oil from the well.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds,

" the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, itbeing understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionherein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View illustrating an oil well apparatus, constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the nozzle or jet whichdirects the water to the well casing.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 designatesa well casing, which is of the usual and well known construction, thecasing having at its upper end a discharge pipe indicated by thereference character 6. This discharge ppe 6, has a downwardly extendedend, which in the present showing extends into a slush pit or reservoirindicated by the reference character l. A valve indicated by thereference character 8, is disposed in the discharge pipe 6, and controlsthe passage of fluid to the pit or reservoir 1.

Extending into the well casing 5, is the well tubing 9, which carriesthe nozzle l0, near the lower thereof. This nozzle or jet I0, is in theform'of a coupling which couples the lower end of the tubing to thesection directly thereabove. The lower end of the tubing, which isindicated by the reference character II, carries the usual packer [2which is of a construction to seal that portion of the Well casing,below the oil screen of the casing, the oil screen in the presentshowing being indicated by the reference character l3.

As clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawing, the nozzle or jet isprovided with a central opening, communicating with the vertical boresor passageways it formed therein, the bores or passageways M, beingseparated by the ribs l5, which not only cause the water passing throughthe nozzle or jet to be equally distributed throughout the entire areaof the well casing, but at the same time reinforce the upper portion ofthe nozzle or jet l0, protecting the nozzle or jet l0 against damage bytools which may be used to strike the nozzle or jet.

A reversible valve indicated by the reference character it operates inthe body portion of the nozzle or jet H3, and in the present showing,the valve is positioned to move upwardly under the water pressure at thelower end of the well tubing. It rm'ght be further stated however, thatwhen Water is forced downwardly through the well tubing, the waterpressure will act to seat the valve l6 and prevent water from enteringthe nozzle or jet I'll, through the valve 16, from a point below thenozzle or jet.

Owing to the construction of the valve I6, the valve may be reversed inits opening, so that it will open under fluid pressure directed down-Wardly through the well tubing 9, should it be desired to use the devicefor cleaning the well casing and screen,

By using a reversible valve shown by applicant, the valve may bepositioned so that it seats against the lower end of the threaded boreof the nozzle, when it becomes necessary to clean the well and easingscreen. Withthe valve IS in this position, it will be obvious that fluidunder pressure may be directed into the well tubing 9, whereupon thevalve will unseat, allowing the fluid to pass through the well tubing.to the point below the packer l2. It will of course be understood thatin order to reverse the valve, the short length of tubing on which thenozzle is supported, will be removed, to properly adjust the valve.

The upper end of the well tubing 9, extends through the bushing 21,which is threaded in the upper end of the coupling 28. The well tubing 9is formed with external threads adapted to accommodate the threadedcollar 29, so that the bushing may be held in position against excessivegas pressure in the well tubing.

A pressure gage 2B, is positioned at the upper end of the well tubing,and is adapted to indicate the pressure in the well tubing, so that theoperator may readily determine when the gas pressure reaches adangerously high point.

The reference character i'l, designates a pipe which is connected to theupper end of the well tubing, by means of the coupling l8, the pipe I!being also connected with the pump I 9, which may be of any suitablecharacter to accomplish the purpose of the invention.

The pipe 20, which is shown as entering one side of the pump I9, isconnected with the vertical pipe 2|, through the elbow 22. At the lowerend of the pipe 2| is a perforated head 23 through which water' passesto the pipe 21, where it is forced through the pipe H, by the pump l9,from'where the water passes downwardly through the well tubing, aspreviously described.

In the present showing, the pump it is of the steam actuated type, andis fed with steam, through the pipe 24.

A suitable heater, indicated by the reference character 25 is interposedin the pipe H, and may be utilized to heat the water passing through thepipe I'l, should it be desired to direct hot water to the well tubing,to melt parafiin, or reduce the consistency of foreign matter which maycollect to render the screen !3 inoperative.

Assuming that the well tubing has been positioned in the wall casing,and the lower end of the casing sealed as indicated by the drawing, anda quantity of oil has entered the well casing, the operation of theapparatus is as follows:

Water is now pumped from the tank or reservoir I, through the perforatedhead 23, and into the well tubing 9. The water passes through the nozzleor jet Hi, and is directed upwardly within the well casing. Inasmuch asthe oil will remain on the surface of the water within the well casing,it is obvious that as the level of the water in the well casing rises,the oil will be forced to the discharge pipe 6 and deposited in the pitor reservoir 1.

The oil will rise to the top of the water level within the pit orreservoir 7, and the water which remains below the oil in the tank orreservoir, may be returned to the well tubing 9, by the pump l9.

As the oil collects in the pit or reservoir 7, it may be carried off toa suitable place of deposit, by any desirable means.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shownand described, it is unnecessary to provide high powered machinery forforcing water into the well casing, and that a predetermined quantity ofwater may be utilized in operating the apparatus for an indefiniteperiod.

Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed is:

1. An, apparatus for removing oil from oil Wells, comprising a wellcasing having an oil screen, well tubing extending into the well casing,sealing means on the tubing and adapted to seal the casing below thescreen, means for directing water to the well tubing and discharging thewater into the well casing at a point below the screen, and means forheating the water prior to its passage into the well tubing.

2. An apparatus for removing oil from oil wells, comprising a wellcasing, an oil screen in the casing, well tubing extending into thecasing, sealing means on the well tubing and adapted to seal the wellcasing below the screen, a nozzle on the tubing and disposed between thesealing means and the screen of the casing, said nozzle having aplurality of vertical bores formed with widened upper discharge ends, areversible valve within the nozzle and against which liquid underpressure is directed, the liquid being forced laterally through thevertical bores, elevating oil entering the casing through the screen, tothe top of the casing, and a pipe for carrying off oil from the casing.

3. An apparatus for removing oil from oil wells, comprising a wellcasing, an oil screen in the casing, well tubing extending into thecasing, sealing means on the well tubing and adapted to seal the wellcasing below the screen, a nozzle on the tubing and disposed between thesealing means and the screen of the casing, said nozzle having aplurality of discharge openings, said nozzle having a central bore, areversible spring pressed valve adapted to be positioned to seat ateither end of the bore, and said valve adapted to normally close saidcentral bore and direct water laterally and upwardly when the valve ispositioned at the upper end of the bore.

4. An apparatus for removing oil from oil 4 wells, comprising a wellcasing, an oil screen in the casing, well tubing extending into thecasing, sealing means on the well tubing and adapted to seal the wellcasing below the screen, a nozzle on the tubing and disposed between thesealing means and the screen of the casing, said nozzle having aplurality of discharge openings, said nozzle having a central bore, adisk valve member adapted to normally close the upper end of the borerestricting the passage of fluid through the nozzle and directing thefluid laterally through the discharge openings, and said valve adaptedto be reversed to close the opposite end of said bore restrictingmovement upwardly through the tubing and permitting liquid underpressure to be forced downwardly through the tubing.

' JEFFERSON D. PACE.

